U.S. patent application number 12/978977 was filed with the patent office on 2011-06-30 for methods and systems for differentiating soybeans.
This patent application is currently assigned to MONSANTO TECHNOLOGY LLC. Invention is credited to Luis A. Jurado, Joel E. Ream.
Application Number | 20110154882 12/978977 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 44185826 |
Filed Date | 2011-06-30 |
United States Patent
Application |
20110154882 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Jurado; Luis A. ; et
al. |
June 30, 2011 |
Methods and Systems For Differentiating Soybeans
Abstract
Methods and systems for analyzing soybeans and, more
particularly, for analyzing soybeans at the point of delivery such
as a grain elevator or processing plant for a characteristic of the
soybeans such as the .beta.-conglycinin protein content or the
intensity of flavor of the soybeans.
Inventors: |
Jurado; Luis A.; (St. Louis,
MO) ; Ream; Joel E.; (St. Louis, MO) |
Assignee: |
MONSANTO TECHNOLOGY LLC
St. Louis
MO
|
Family ID: |
44185826 |
Appl. No.: |
12/978977 |
Filed: |
December 27, 2010 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
61291104 |
Dec 30, 2009 |
|
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Current U.S.
Class: |
73/23.34 ;
73/29.01; 73/31.05 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G01N 1/4022 20130101;
G01N 33/025 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
73/23.34 ;
73/29.01; 73/31.05 |
International
Class: |
G01N 33/03 20060101
G01N033/03; G01N 33/00 20060101 G01N033/00 |
Claims
1. A method for differentiating soybeans, the method comprising:
heating a sample of soybeans to release one or more volatile
compounds from the soybeans; sensing the volatile compounds to
generate one or more electronic signals; and analyzing the one or
more electronic signals to determine a characteristic of the
soybeans.
2. The method of claim 1 wherein the characteristic is chosen from
the group consisting of a .beta.-conglycinin content, genetic line,
variety, composition, moisture content, odor intensity, spoilage,
gene expression, oil content, fatty acid profile, linoleic acid
content, protein content, chlorophyll content, oxidation and
combinations thereof.
3. The method of claim 1 wherein the characteristic is
.beta.-conglycinin content.
4. The method of claim 1 wherein soybean oil is extracted from a
sample of soybeans and the soybean oil is heated to release one or
more volatile compounds from the soybeans to determine the fatty
acid profile of the soybeans.
5. The method of claim 4 wherein the volatile compounds are
analyzed to determine whether the soybeans are a low-linoleic acid
variety.
6. The method of claim 1 wherein the characteristic is odor
intensity.
7. The method of claim 1 wherein the sample of soybeans is heated
to at least about 30.degree. C.
8. The method of claim 1 comprising: grinding the sample of
soybeans; contacting the ground soybeans with a solvent; and
dissolving the volatile compound into the solvent and vaporizing
the volatile compound from the solvent.
9. The method of claim 1 wherein the volatile compounds are sensed
by a sensor comprising a sensing element selected from the group
consisting of polymers, metal oxides, quartz crystal, surface
acoustic wave elements and optical fiber elements.
10. The method of claim 9 wherein the metal oxide is part of a
metal oxide semiconductor, the semiconductor being a field-effect
transistor.
11. The method of claim 1 wherein the volatile compounds are
contacted with an array of sensing elements.
12. The method of claim 1 wherein the electronic signals are
analyzed by principal component analysis.
13. The method of claim 1 wherein the electronic signals are
analyzed by a statistical quality control model.
14. The method of claim 1 wherein the sample is heated for at least
about 30 seconds.
15. The method of claim 1 wherein the volatile compounds vaporize
into a headspace of a container and a volume of gas in the
headspace is injected into the sensor.
16. A method of determining the relative amount of
.beta.-conglycinin protein in a sample of soybeans, the method
comprising: heating the sample of soybeans to release one or more
volatile compounds from the soybeans; sensing the volatile
compounds to generate one or more electronic signals; and
processing the electronic signals to determine whether the sample
of soybeans contains .beta.-conglycinin protein in a concentration
greater than commodity soybeans.
17. The method of claim 16 wherein the sample of soybeans is heated
to at least about 30.degree. C.
18. The method of claim 16 comprising: grinding the sample of
soybeans; contacting the ground soybeans with a solvent; and
dissolving the volatile compound into the solvent and vaporizing
the volatile compound from the solvent.
19. The method of claim 16 wherein the volatile compounds are
sensed by a sensor comprising a sensing element selected from the
group consisting of polymers, metal oxides, quartz crystal, surface
acoustic wave elements and optical fiber elements.
20. A method of determining the relative intensity of odor of a
sample of soybeans, the method comprising: heating the sample of
soybeans to release one or more volatile compounds from the
soybeans; sensing the volatile compounds to generate one or more
electronic signals; and processing the electronic signals to
determine whether the sample of soybeans is less odorous than
commodity soybeans.
21. The method of claim 20 wherein the sample of soybeans is heated
to at least about 30.degree. C.
22. The method of claim 20 comprising: grinding the sample of
soybeans; contacting the ground soybeans with a solvent; and
dissolving the volatile compound into the solvent and vaporizing
the volatile compound from the solvent.
23. The method of claim 20 wherein the volatile compounds are
sensed by a sensor comprising a sensing element selected from the
group consisting of polymers, metal oxides, quartz crystal, surface
acoustic wave elements and optical fiber elements.
24. A system for determining the relative amount of
.beta.-conglycinin protein in a sample of soybeans, the system
comprising; a sensor to generate one or more electronic signals in
response to contact with a gaseous compound; and a processor
configured to analyze the electronic signals and determine the
amount of .beta.-conglycinin protein in the sample of soybeans.
25. The system of claim 24 comprising a memory unit in which a
library of data is stored, the library of data relating to the
.beta.-conglycinin protein content of soybeans.
26. The system of claim 25 wherein the data relates to typical
patterns of electronic signals produced upon analyzing a sample of
soybeans that contain an average amount of .beta.-conglycinin
protein.
27. The system of claim 25 wherein the data relates to typical
patterns of electronic signals produced upon analyzing a sample of
soybeans that contain an elevated amount of .beta.-conglycinin
protein.
28. The system of claim 24 wherein the system comprises a heating
element for heating the sample of soybeans.
29. The system of claim 24 wherein the sensor contains a housing
and one or more sensing elements within the housing, the system
further comprising: a container in which the soybeans are heated,
the container having a headspace in which volatile compounds
released from the soybeans may collect; and a pump for conveying
the volatile compounds from the headspace of the container into the
housing.
30. The system of claim 24 wherein the sensor comprises sensing
elements selected from the group consisting of polymers, metal
oxides, quartz crystal, surface acoustic wave sensors and optical
fiber sensors.
31. The systems of claim 24 wherein the volatile compounds are
contacted with an array of sensing elements selected from the group
consisting of polymers, metal oxides, quartz crystals, surface
acoustic wave sensors and optical fiber sensors.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
[0001] This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional
Application No. 61/291,104, filed Dec. 30, 2009, which is
incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
BACKGROUND
[0002] The field of this disclosure relates to methods and systems
for analyzing soybeans and, more particularly, to methods and
systems for differentiating varieties of soybeans based on a
characteristic of the soybeans.
[0003] Advances in biotechnology and crop science have allowed for
expression of certain phenotypes in agricultural commodities such
as soybeans. These advances have resulted in various soybean
varieties including those with high oil, low linoleic acid content,
that contain certain fatty acids such as docosahexaenoic acid or
stearidonic acid or even soybean varieties that are high in
.beta.-conglycinin protein.
[0004] Soybeans with high levels of .beta.-conglycinin protein have
recently been found to be advantageous. .beta.-conglycinin protein
has been found to influence soybean odor and the odor of the
resulting products with lower amounts of .beta.-conglycinin protein
corresponding to greater odor. .beta.-conglycinin also influences
the solubility of the soybean compositions in food beverages with
higher amounts of .beta.-conglycinin resulting in smoother and more
consistent beverages.
[0005] .beta.-conglycinin is also believed to positively impact
human health (Baba et al., J. Nutr. Sci. Vitaminol., 50(1):26-31
(2004)). In particular, 3 conglycinin has been found to lower
cholesterol, triglycerides and visceral fat. Kohno et al.
demonstrated a significant reduction in triglyceride levels and
visceral fat in human subjects that consumed 5 grams of
.beta.-conglycinin per day (Kohno et al., J Atheroscler Thromb, 13:
247-255, (2006)). Similarly, Nakamura et al. found that
.beta.-conglycinin upregulates genes associated with lipid
metabolism in a primate model and found that .beta.-conglycinin had
a significant effect in preventing bone mineral density loss
(Nakamura et al., Soy Protein Res. 8: 1-7 (2005)). In addition,
.beta.-conglycinin demonstrated effects in lowering serum insulin
and blood sugar (Moriyama et al., Biosci. Biotechnol. Biochem.,
68(2):352-359 (2004)). Due to .beta.-conglycinin effects on
triglycerides, cholesterol, fat, insulin and sugar levels, it may
play an important role in health programs. In addition,
.beta.-conglycinin inhibits artery plaque formation in mice and may
similarly affect human subjects as well (Adams et al., J. Nutr.,
134(3):511-516 (2004)).
[0006] .beta.-conglycinin may also significantly affect intestinal
microflora in humans. .beta.-conglycinin inhibits growth of harmful
bacteria, such as E. coli, while stimulating growth of beneficial
bacteria, such as bifidobacteria, in a number of animal models
(Nakamura et al., Soy Protein Res 7: 13-19, 2004; Zuo et al., World
J Gastroenterol 11: 5801-5806 (2005)). .beta.-conglycinin could be
used both to reduce E. coli growth after infection and maintain a
healthy intestinal microbial community.
[0007] Soybean varieties high in .beta.-conglycinin content include
those described in International Pub. No. WO 2007/030429 and U.S.
Pat. Pub. No. 2009/0068337, each of which is incorporated herein
for all relevant and consistent purposes. Soybean varieties high in
.beta.-conglycinin content (often referred to as "HBC" varieties)
may contain .beta.-conglycinin in an average amount of from about
30% to about 40% by weight of the total soybean content of the
soybeans or even from about 30% to about 50% by weight of the total
soybean content of the soybeans. In contrast, varieties not
designed or bred for high .beta.-conglycinin content (which may be
referred to herein as "commodity soybeans") contain
.beta.-conglycinin in an average amount less than about 30% or even
less than about 25% by weight of the total soybean content of the
soybeans.
[0008] Soybeans high in .beta.-conglycinin content may be processed
separately from commodity soybeans to take advantage of the
.beta.-conglycinin content of the soybeans (e.g., for incorporation
into nutritional formulas and other beverages). Conventional
methods of differentiating soybeans with relatively high
.beta.-conglycinin content involve gel electrophoresis (e.g.,
SDS-PAGE analysis) of soybean protein crude extracts. Gel
electrophoresis techniques are not practical for differentiating
soybeans at the point of grain delivery because these techniques
are too labor-intensive and time-consuming.
[0009] Furthermore, it is desirable to differentiate soybeans that
are low in odor or aroma from more odorous varieties so that the
low-flavored varieties may be incorporated in beverages and the
like for human consumption. Conventional flavor differentiation
techniques involve gas chromatography-mass spectrometry, which is
not practical because it is too complex and expensive. A continuing
need exists for new methods and systems for differentiating soybean
varieties that contain high-amounts of .beta.-conglycinin and/or a
low amount of odor or aroma and, particularly, methods that are
simple to perform and provide results quickly making them suitable
for use at the point of grain delivery (e.g., at grain elevators or
processing plants).
SUMMARY
[0010] In one aspect of the present disclosure, a method for
differentiating soybeans includes heating a sample of soybeans to
release one or more volatile compounds from the soybeans. The
volatile compounds are sensed to generate one or more electronic
signals. The electronic signals are analyzed to determine a
characteristic of the soybeans.
[0011] Another aspect of the present disclosure is directed to a
method of determining the relative amount of .beta.-conglycinin
protein in a sample of soybeans. The sample of soybeans is heated
to release one or more volatile compounds from the soybeans. The
volatile compounds are sensed to generate one or more electronic
signals. The electronic signals are processed to determine whether
the sample of soybeans contains .beta.-conglycinin protein in a
concentration greater than commodity soybeans.
[0012] In a further aspect of the present disclosure, a method of
determining the relative intensity of odor of a sample of soybeans
includes heating the sample of soybeans to release one or more
volatile compounds from the soybeans. The volatile compounds are
sensed to generate one or more electronic signals. The electronic
signals are processed to determine whether the sample of soybeans
is less odorous than commodity soybeans.
[0013] Yet another aspect of the present disclosure is directed to
a system for determining the relative amount of .beta.-conglycinin
protein in a sample of soybeans. The system includes a sensor and a
processor. The sensor generates one or more electronic signals in
response to contact with a gaseous compound. The processor is
configured to analyze the electronic signals and determine the
amount of .beta.-conglycinin protein in the sample of soybeans.
[0014] Various refinements exist of the features noted in relation
to the above-mentioned aspects of the present disclosure. Further
features may also be incorporated in the above-mentioned aspects of
the present disclosure as well. These refinements and additional
features may exist individually or in any combination. For
instance, various features discussed below in relation to any of
the illustrated embodiments of the present disclosure may be
incorporated into any of the above-described aspects of the present
disclosure, alone or in any combination.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0015] FIG. 1 is a graph of the principal component analysis (PCA)
of a sample of whole soybeans heated to 95.degree. C. and analyzed
according to Example 1;
[0016] FIG. 2 is a graph of the statistical quality control (SQC)
analysis of a sample of whole soybeans heated to 95.degree. C. and
analyzed according to Example 1;
[0017] FIG. 3 is a graph of the PCA analysis of a sample of ground
soybeans in water heated to 50.degree. C. and analyzed according to
Example 2;
[0018] FIG. 4 is a graph of the SQC analysis of a sample of ground
soybeans in water heated to 50.degree. C. and analyzed according to
Example 2;
[0019] FIG. 5 is a graph of the PCA analysis of a sample of ground
soybeans in water heated to 70.degree. C. and analyzed according to
Example 2;
[0020] FIG. 6 is a graph of SQC analysis of a sample of ground
soybeans in water heated to 70.degree. C. and analyzed according to
Example 2;
[0021] FIG. 7 is a graph of the PCA of a sample of ground soybeans
in water heated to 35.degree. C. and analyzed according to Example
2;
[0022] FIG. 8 is a graph of the SQC analysis of a sample of ground
soybeans in water heated to 35.degree. C. and analyzed according to
Example 2;
[0023] FIG. 9 is a schematic of a system for differentiating
soybeans according to one embodiment of the present disclosure with
a processor and memory unit shown in schematic.
[0024] Corresponding reference characters indicate corresponding
parts throughout the drawings.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0025] In accordance with the present disclosure, methods for
differentiating soybeans are provided. While the methods and
systems described herein are generally described with reference to
differentiation of soybeans having a high .beta.-conglycinin
content or low odor compared to typical commodity soybeans, it
should be understood that the methods and systems may be applied to
differentiate soybeans having other characteristics without
limitation. These other characteristics include, for example, the
genetic line, variety, composition, moisture content, odor
intensity, spoilage, gene expression, oil content, fatty acid
profile, linoleic acid content, protein content, chlorophyll
content, oxidation and combinations thereof.
[0026] In various embodiments of the present disclosure, a sample
of soybeans is provided for analysis. Soybeans may be sampled from
a batch taken from soybeans delivered for processing or for
storage. Automated sampling probes may be employed to gather the
sample from the respective shipment container (e.g., truck,
railcar, barge and the like). Several samples may be gathered from
one respective shipment and each individual sample may be analyzed
or, alternatively, the samples may be combined to provide a
composite sample that is analyzed. In this regard, the analysis
techniques described herein are capable of analyzing relatively
small samples such as sample sizes of less than about 10 g (e.g.,
from about 0.1 g to about 10 g). Sampling techniques other than as
described may be used without departing from the scope of the
present disclosure.
[0027] The sample of soybeans may be processed to release volatile
components from the soybeans. For example, the soybeans may be
ground to reduce their particle size and to expose inner portions
of the soybean to the atmosphere. The soybean may be ground to a
powder consistency (e.g., using a ball mill). The soybeans (either
whole or after grinding) may be added to a solvent. The solvent may
promote vaporization of volatile components. One or more compounds
present within the soybean material may dissolve in the solvent and
then vaporize from the solution into the headspace above the
solution. It should be noted that the terms "solvent" and
"solution" should not be viewed in a limiting sense. For example, a
portion of the soybeans (particularly the fiber portions) may not
dissolve into the solvent, but rather become suspended throughout
the solvent. Suitable solvents include various buffer solutions and
water. The pH of the buffer solutions may be from about 4.5 to
about 9 or from about 5 to about 8. The buffer solutions may be
aqueous and/or may contain salts such as NaCl or CaCl.sub.2 and may
contain EDTA. The mass ratio of soybeans to solvent may be at least
about 1:10, at least about 1:5, at least about 1:3, at least about
1:1 or even higher with ratios of at least about 2:1, at least
about 5:1 or even at least about 10:1 (e.g., from 1:10 to 2:1 or
from about 1:5 to about 1:1) being suitable. In this regard, it
should be understood that soybeans that have not been ground (i.e.,
whole soybeans) and not contacted with a solvent may be analyzed in
accordance with the methods and systems of the present disclosure
(see Example 1).
[0028] While typically the entire sample of soybeans (either whole
or in solvent) is heated and analyzed for volatiles, one or more
portions of the soybean may be isolated for analysis. As an
example, soybean oil may be extracted from a sample of soybeans and
the oil may be analyzed (typically with heating) to determine a
characteristic of the soybeans to determine the fatty acid profile
of the soybeans (e.g., whether the soybeans are a low-linoleic acid
variety). Low-linoleic acid soybean varieties produce distinct
volatile compounds or a distinct concentration of volatile
compounds that may be sensed and analyzed to determine whether the
soybeans are a low-linoleic acid variety.
[0029] The soybeans (including whole soybeans or solutions) may be
heated to further release volatile compounds. In some embodiments,
the sample of soybeans is heated to a temperature of at least about
30.degree. C., at least about 40.degree. C., at least about
50.degree. C., at least about 60.degree. C. at least about
70.degree. C., at least about 80.degree. C., at least about
90.degree. C., at least about 100.degree. C. or from about
30.degree. C. to about 150.degree. C., from about 30.degree. C. to
about 110.degree. C., from about 45.degree. C. to about 110.degree.
C. or from about 50.degree. C. to about 100.degree. C. The sample
of soybeans may be heated for at least about 30 seconds to vaporize
volatile compounds and, in other embodiments is heated at least
about 1 minute, at least about 5 minutes, at least about 15 minutes
or from about 30 seconds to about 1 hour, from about 30 seconds to
about 30 minutes or from about 5 minutes to about 30 minutes. While
the above-referenced temperatures and periods of heating are
typical for the methods of analysis described herein, other
temperatures and/or periods of heating may be used without
departing from the scope of the present disclosure.
[0030] Generally, the soybeans are heated in an enclosed container
having a headspace in which volatile compounds released from the
soybeans may collect. The headspace into which the volatile
compounds enter may be air including purified air; however, it
should be understood that other gases may be used without departing
from the scope of the present disclosure. Air may be purified by
removing volatile compounds therefrom and according to methods
known in the art such as by, for example, membrane filtration.
After the sample has been heated for the pre-determined time
period, a volume of gas in the headspace containing the volatile
compounds may be injected into a sensor for analysis. The volume of
gas injected into the sensor for analysis may vary and in some
embodiments is at least about 0.1 ml, at least about 0.5 ml, at
least about 1 ml, at least about 2 ml or from about 0.1 ml to about
5 ml. A pump or blower may be used to pull or push the volatile
compounds from the headspace of the container to the sensor to
allow the volatile compounds to contact the sensing elements.
Optionally, a valve may be used to hold the components in the
headspace of the container during generation of vaporized compounds
(i.e., the valve is closed during this step). The valve may then be
opened to release the volatile components and to allow them to
contact the sensing elements of the sensor with or without use of a
pump. In some embodiments, the sensing elements themselves are
located in the headspace of the container and/or the sensing system
is configured to allow volatile compounds to travel to the sensing
elements by diffusion. Purified air may be used to establish
baseline measurements and to desorb volatiles that contact the
sensing elements.
[0031] As stated above, the sensor may be configured to determine
the .beta.-conglycinin content of the soybean sample and/or the
content relative to commodity soybeans which do not contain an
elevated amount of .beta.-conglycinin. In this regard, it should be
understood that the .beta.-conglycinin content is not determined
directly; rather compounds such as hexanals, aldehydes, ketones,
alcohols and the like are released from the soybeans and sensed by
the sensors. Without being bound to a particular theory, it is
believed that these compounds are released as oxidation or
decomposition products of enzymatic or decomposition reactions upon
heating the soybeans. The electronic signals produce a
"fingerprint" that may be used to determine the .beta.-conglycinin
content of the soybean sample and/or the content relative to
commodity soybeans.
[0032] The sensors may also be configured to measure or determine
the odor (or synonymously "aroma," "flavor" or "odor intensity")
and/or the odor relative to commodity soybeans. In other
embodiments, the characteristic of the soybeans that is analyzed is
a characteristic other than .beta.-conglycinin content or odor such
as, for example, the genetic line or variety of the soybeans, the
composition or moisture content of the soybeans, or the odor
intensity, spoilage, gene expression, oil content, fatty acid
profile, linoleic acid content, protein content, chlorophyll
content, oxidation or combinations thereof.
[0033] Sensors for detecting volatile compounds and for
differentiating the types and concentrations of compounds produced
by soybeans high in .beta.-conglycinin content from that of
commodity soybeans may contain one or more sensing elements. A
number of different types of sensing elements may be used,
including, for example, polymers, metal oxides, quartz crystals,
surface acoustic wave sensors and optical fibers. In one or more
embodiments, a plurality of sensing elements may be arranged as an
array to detect volatile components. Each sensing element produces
an electronic signal in response to contact with a volatile
component so as to produce a "fingerprint" of signals which can be
compared to stored data to determine the amount (or relative
amount) of .beta.-conglycinin in a sample of soybeans. The amount
of sensors in the array may range from about 2 to about 50 or more
(e.g., from about 10 to about 20).
[0034] When polymers are used as sensing elements, the polymer
material may be conducting and/or may swell or contract upon
contact with certain compounds. Typically each element of the array
of polymers is distinct from other members of the array. For
instance, the polymers may differ in their type of monomer
subunits, concentration of electrically conductive dopant or the
like. When metal oxides are used, the metal oxides may be part of a
metal oxide semiconductor ("MOS") or even a field-effect transistor
("MOS-FET").
[0035] It should be noted that the electronic signals generated by
the sensors may simply be a digital value or a measurement such as
voltage or the conductance signal. Generally, contact of the
sensors with a volatile components elicits a change in the
electrical resistance resulting in a change in voltage. The change
in resistance depends on the characteristics of the sensors
(coatings, dopants and the like) and the volatile component or
components that contact the sensor. In this regard, the term
"electronic signal" should not be viewed in a limiting sense.
Further, it should be understood that the volatile components that
contact the sensor may be but typically are not the same compounds
of interest. For example, it is believed that soybeans high in
.beta.-conglycinin content contain certain enzymes that generate
one or more compounds that are released as volatiles that contact
the sensor and that these volatiles are not generated, or are
generated in a lesser concentration, in varieties that do not
contain an elevated amount of .beta.-conglycinin protein.
[0036] Upon generation of the electronic signals, the signals are
analyzed to determine whether the soybeans have one or more
characteristics such as elevated .beta.-conglycinin content. In
some embodiments, the sensor may be previously calibrated such that
the electronic signals are correlated to an amount of
.beta.-conglycinin in the sample of soybeans. Calibration may be
performed by processing a sample of soybeans with a known
.beta.-conglycinin content (e.g., as determined by SDS-PAGE
analysis) in the analysis system to generate electronic signals
which may be related to the .beta.-conglycinin content. In one or
more embodiments, the system is calibrated by determining a set of
parameters in which the soybeans from which the soybean sample is
gathered are considered to be "conforming" (see Examples 1-2
below). This allows soybean samples to be analyzed with the output
of the analysis being whether the soybeans contain a minimum or
maximum characteristic such as a minimum .beta.-conglycinin content
that is above that of commodity soybeans. This allows
out-of-specification shipments to be rejected at the point of grain
delivery. In addition or alternatively, the electronic signal
fingerprint may be analyzed by known statistical techniques. For
instance, the electronic signals may be analyzed by principal
component analysis ("PCA") or by a statistical quality control
model ("SQC").
[0037] The methods of the present disclosure may be performed by
operation of a system for determining a characteristic (e.g., the
relative amount of .beta.-conglycinin protein) of a sample of
soybeans. An exemplary system is shown in FIG. 9 with the system
being generally designated as numeral 5. The system 5 generally
includes a container 13 in which a sample of soybeans 17
(optionally in a solvent) are heated. The container 13 has a
headspace 19 in which volatile compounds released from the soybeans
17 may collect.
[0038] The system 5 may also include a heating element 9 for
heating the sample of soybeans. For instance, the container 13
containing the sample of soybeans may be at least partially
immersed in a hot bath 3 (as shown in FIG. 9) to vaporize volatile
compounds. Alternatively, hot gases may be directed against the
container 13 to vaporize the volatile compounds. Suitable methods
for heating include, without limitation, capacitive heating,
induction coils (RF) and electrical resistance elements.
[0039] The system 5 also includes a sensor 30 to generate one or
more electronic signals in response to receiving, contacting or
sensing a gaseous compound. The system 5 also includes a processor
40 configured to analyze the electronic signals and provide
information concerning a characteristic of the soybeans such, for
example, the amount of .beta.-conglycinin protein in the sample of
soybeans. The sensor 30 may include a housing 27 and one or more
sensing elements 29 within the housing. The sensing elements 29
(and optionally an array of elements as shown in FIG. 9) of the
sensor 30 may be selected from polymers, metal oxides, quartz
crystal, surface acoustic wave sensors, optical fiber sensors and
combinations thereof as described above. A pump 31 may convey the
volatile compounds from the headspace 19 of the container 13 into
the housing 27.
[0040] The system 5 may also include a memory unit 45 in which a
library of data is stored. The library of data may relate to the
.beta.-conglycinin protein content of soybeans and/or to typical
patterns of electronic signals produced upon analyzing a sample of
soybeans that contain an average or elevated amount of
.beta.-conglycinin protein.
[0041] While the system 5 shown in FIG. 9 includes a container for
heating and analyzing one sample, it should be understood that
several samples may be processed and/or analyzed simultaneously
without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. For
instance, a plurality of samples may be included within a plurality
of processing wells of a sample system and processed in parallel.
Other methods and systems for differentiating soybeans other than
as described and shown may be used and the illustrations and
descriptions of the present disclosure should not be viewed in a
limiting sense.
EXAMPLES
Example 1
Differentiation of Soybean Varieties without Grinding or Use of a
Solvent
[0042] Samples of four different varieties of soybeans were
obtained. One variety was a typical commodity type soybean and the
other three were high .beta.-conglycinin varieties. The commodity
soybean also had more odor (i.e., flavor) than the high
.beta.-conglycinin varieties. A sample of whole soybeans of each
variety (1.+-.0.05 g) was placed in a respective 10 ml amber glass
vial that was sealed. The soybeans were heated to 95.degree. C. for
20 minutes. 2.5 ml of headspace above the sample was injected into
a sensor for analysis. The sensor was a Fox 4000 electronic nose
system (Alpha MOS; Toulouse, France) using 18 MOS sensing elements.
The PCA analysis of the samples heated to 95.degree. C. is shown in
FIG. 1 and the SQC analysis of the samples heated to 95.degree. C.
is shown in FIG. 2. As can be seen in FIGS. 1 and 2, the commodity
soybeans (labeled "Comm1.sub.--95C") are grouped separate from the
soybean varieties high in .beta.-conglycinin content (labeled
"HB195C," "HB2.sub.--95C" and "HBC.sub.--95C") This indicates that
it is possible to distinguish high .beta.-conglycinin content
varieties from other varieties with lower amounts of
.beta.-conglycinin and varieties high in aroma from varieties with
relatively lower aroma.
Example 2
Differentiation of Soybean Varieties with Grinding and Use of a
Solvent
[0043] Samples of five different varieties of soybeans were
obtained. One variety was a typical commodity type soybean and the
other three were high .beta.-conglycinin varieties. Three samples
of each variety (0.25.+-.0.05 g) were placed in respective 10 ml
amber glass vials and 1 ml of water was added to each vial. Each
vial was then sealed. One set of the varieties was heated to
35.degree. C. for 20 minutes, one set to 50.degree. C. for 20
minutes and one set to 70.degree. C. for 20 minutes. 2.5 ml of
headspace above the sample was injected into a sensor for analysis.
The sensor was a Fox 4000 electronic nose system (Alpha MOS;
Toulouse, France) using 18 MOS sensing elements. The PCA analysis
of the samples heated to 50.degree. C. is shown in FIG. 3 and the
SQC analysis of the samples heated to 50.degree. C. is shown in
FIG. 4. The principal component analysis of the samples heated to
70.degree. C. is shown in FIG. 5 and the statistical quality
control analysis of the samples heated to 70.degree. C. is shown in
FIG. 6. The PCA analysis of the samples heated to 35.degree. C. is
shown in FIG. 7 and the SQC analysis of the samples heated to
35.degree. C. is shown in FIG. 8. As can be seen from FIGS. 3-6,
the commodity soybeans (labeled "AG2107") are grouped separate from
the other soybeans which are varieties high in .beta.-conglycinin
content (labeled "DJB2505HOCG," "DJB2104GOR," "EXP319AP" and
"DJB1804BOR"). This indicates that it is possible to distinguish
high .beta.-conglycinin content varieties from other varieties with
lower amounts of .beta.-conglycinin and varieties high in aroma
from varieties with relatively lower aroma. It was more difficult
to distinguish the varieties of soybeans heated to only 35.degree.
C. (FIGS. 7-8).
[0044] When introducing elements of the present disclosure or the
preferred embodiments(s) thereof, the articles "a", "an", "the" and
"said" are intended to mean that there are one or more of the
elements. The terms "comprising", "including" and "having" are
intended to be inclusive and mean that there may be additional
elements other than the listed elements.
[0045] As various changes could be made in the above apparatus and
methods without departing from the scope of the disclosure, it is
intended that all matter contained in the above description and
shown in the accompanying figures shall be interpreted as
illustrative and not in a limiting sense.
* * * * *